*Editor’s Note: This was #6 on our Top Posts of 2012.
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The talented Christian rapper Propaganda just released “Excellent,” a strong new album on the Humble Beast label (buy it here). Humble Beast is the home of Beautiful Eulogy, the group from Portland, Oregon that put out an excellent album this summer.
Propaganda is equal parts slam poet and rapper. He hits hard in his content and is one of the most provocative rappers around. I’ve listened to him since his Tunnel Rats days, and I’ve always enjoyed him. His skill is undeniable, and he loves the Lord. His new album, “Excellent,” includes a fiery song on the Puritans. Here’s a sample (complete lyrics here):
Pastor, you know it’s hard for me when you quote puritans.
Oh the precious puritans.
Have you not noticed our facial expressions?
One of bewilderment and heart break.
Like, not you too pastor.
You know they were the chaplains on slaves ships, right?
Would you quote Columbus to Cherokees?
Would you quote Cortez to Aztecs?
Even If they theology was good?
It just sings of your blind privilege wouldn’t you agree?
Your precious puritans.
On Joe Thorn’s site, there are also some comments from Propaganda about this torch of a song (see some helpful historical thoughts here).
This song raises some very big issues for evangelicals. It confronts us with our past, one that is chock full of racism and racist oppression; it asks us to think hard about how Christians of different backgrounds perceive one another; it wonders out loud how much we should listen to past Christians who sinned publicly; it drives us to think about how edgy to be in our quest to influence and edify one another. I’m glad that Propaganda raised these kinds of questions. His honesty is needed in evangelicalism. Racism is real and awful, historically and now.
There is a danger here. Specifically, I wonder if Propaganda isn’t inclining us to distrust the Puritans. He states his case against them so forcefully, and without any historical nuance, that I wonder if listeners will be inclined to dislike and even hate them. He groups all the Puritans together, which is problematic. Not all of them were chaplains on slave ships, as he says later in the song. Many were not. But Propaganda blasts them so hard that, though he’s not ultimately dismissing them, it sounds as if he is. He qualifies his words on Joe Thorn’s blog–pretty strongly, in fact–but what about all the people who hear his song but won’t read that specific blog?
Some people will respond by saying, “Well, he’s an artist. He’s supposed to provoke. That’s like the Old Testament prophets.” It is true that artists can provoke reflection that might not otherwise come. I am a rapper myself. I love art. I love creative expression. I love hard-hitting exhortation. But the motive of edification does not justify any level of critique. Artists are not exempt from giving account to God for every word they speak (see Matthew 12:36-37). I don’t know when that idea got in the evangelical bloodstream, but it’s there, and it’s not helpful (this is not a veiled reference to Jefferson Bethke, whose controversial videos I liked). Let me say it again: artists will give account.
Let me be clear: If young men are failing today, strong critique and exhortation are needed. But as a Christian, there must be grace in the mix. I am not justified at being so edgy, so angry, so authentically steamed, that I take my fellow sinners off at the knees. I fear that, though Propaganda ultimately points the finger on himself in the last verse, he has been harsh against the Puritans, sinful as they were in being racist and not opposing racism in the power of the gospel.
Look–I’m for public criticism of evangelical “heroes” on this point. See the biography of Jonathan Edwards that Douglas Sweeney and I wrote for Moody. We strongly critiqued Edwards for owning slaves, as we should have. But that doesn’t mean that we should tear him down. He is a sinner like us. Furthermore, if being a sinner in even a deeply regrettable way disqualifies you from being referenced by modern evangelicals, we are going to have a very difficult time finding anyone to emulate. Luther was anti-Semitic; Calvin could be preening and cold; Edwards held slaves; and the list goes on.
Racism is awful. Horrible. Reprehensible. It must be called out and condemned. But one must do so carefully. To tear the Puritans down with very little nuance of the kind I’ve offered here is problematic. Propaganda wrote that he has learned a great deal from these forefathers despite their sins. I fear that people who don’t have his prior appreciation will not do the same. They will write them off. That would be a mistake. It would also seem to be counter to the general spirit of Galatians 6:1. This is not a passage about who to lionize, but there’s a principle that seems to apply here:
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.
And we take note of this:
Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
I’m bothered by the critique, because it isn’t dealing the song’s actual
point. Propaganda is asking for some awareness from pastors quoting the
puritans without any nuance. It’s not about whether anyone should read
them or learn from them, but whether they should be heavily leaned on
without disclaimer. Before we get to Propaganda’s nuance or lack thereof in the song, what about that of pastors preaching God’s word to His people?
“Artists
are not exempt from giving account to God for every word they speak
(see Matthew 12:36-37).” I don’t think Propaganda will have to give an
account for why someone, somewhere, listened to this song and used it as
justification for ignoring the work of past Christians. That would be on them. If his words
unfairly condemned his brethren, he would give account for that. But
they don’t do that, let alone carelessly.
Rappers aren’t OT
prophets, but their standard can’t be higher than that of the latter. If
the prophets were this worried about giving account due to a lack of
nuance and gentleness towards the esteemed and powerful (whose esteem and power enabled or excused their sin), I think the
Scriptures would read differently.
I agree with @twitter-19344550:disqus. I think you must look at the full song in context and see what he is really getting at. I don’t believe he tore them down as much as he communicated the hurt he feels when they are treated as perfect by many by expressing why.
Your line below even speaks to that fact:
“He groups all the Puritans together, which is problematic. Not all of them were chaplains on slave ships, as he says later in the song.”
Why even write that? If he says later in the song they aren’t all chaplains, then why make it seem like he grouped them all together?
I know this is hard to stomach because he was honest and blunt about it. But the reality is, many feel this way and not just on this issue. How hurtful is it when white pastors allude to the fact that historically blacks have had bad theology, but then we all know that many of the top conservative seminaries wouldn’t let us attend there for years?
Sure, they do now, but it still hurts. In the back of your mind, your thinking, yeah, things may have been different if we were able to go to different seminaries. When you bring up the puritans without mentioning this, yet treat them as if they have perfect doctrine, in your mind, you’re like how perfect was it, if they couldn’t even stand up for slavery in many cases?
Not to sidetrack, but all Prop is asking for is just some sensitivity on the issue of race as it relates to the puritans. If he had communicated his point less forcibly, the issue may not have been taken as seriously.
Hey man, appreciate your response. Here’s the thing: what I’m saying is that I already see the sin in the lives of folks like the Puritans, Edwards, Luther. Did you pick that up in my post? When I teach on these and other figures, I DIRECTLY address their sins, as I think I should. But that doesn’t mean that I tear them down and make others think that they can’t be profitable to study. Propaganda’s song sounds that way.
This is a very tough issue. I want it to be discussed and processed. But we’ve got to do so in a spirit not only of anger at sin, but forgiveness. Isn’t that kind of the central reality of our lives as Christians? Unlike the world, we FORGIVE those who sin against us, who abuse us, who even kill us. We are not like the world.
So yes: we call out sin, we address the shameful and awful racism of the Christian past–but aren’t we also called to forgive? Isn’t that what the Lord’s Prayer teaches us? I don’t hear that element in “Precious Puritans.”
I’m all for the anger part. I agree with it. But don’t we also not merely identify ourselves as sinners too (as Propaganda does in the song), but then move beyond that to extend forgiveness to brothers and sisters who have sinned?
Great point. But there’s only so much you can do in a 3 minute song. When you look at the body of Prop’s work or even just this project, he’s never been about unforgiveness.
The song and the reaction has reminded of a point that Francis Schaefer makes in Art and the Bible. Christian artists can’t be required to present the whole gospel in every song. I could go find many Psalms and songs in the scripture in which that didn’t happen.
While Prop made the overal point that we are all Puritans to an extinct, including himself, he wasn’t wrong at all for expressing his feelings of anger and hurt for what was done. It doesn’t mean he hasn’t forgiven them or doesn’t find them profitable. In fact, I’m not a guy who even studied the Puritans like that, but this song has me more interested in them now. Why? Because he thought their contribution was significant enough to even do a song about them.
Again, I see your point and understand your concern. But I don’t think everyone will take it that way.
P.S. – I read your blogs on here from time to time. I always enjoy your perspective.
[...] that God uses “crooked sticks to make straight paths.” Owen Strachan, however, wrote a response to the song in which he argued it was too hard on the Puritans. Others responded saying Owen [...]